indigenous

American  

[in-dij-uh-nuhs] / ɪnˈdɪdʒ ə nəs /

adjective

1. 

   originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native (often followed byto ).

   the plants indigenous to Canada.

   Synonyms:

   natural, aboriginal, autochthonous

   Antonyms:

   exotic, foreign

2. Indigenous. relating to or being a people who are the original, earliest known inhabitants of a region, or are their descendants: the Indigenous languages of the Americas.

   the Indigenous Maori of New Zealand;

   the Indigenous languages of the Americas.

3. innate; inherent; natural (usually followed byto ).

   feelings indigenous to human beings.

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indigenous British  

/ ɪnˈdɪdʒɪnəs /

adjective

1. originating or occurring naturally (in a country, region, etc); native

2. innate (to); inherent (in)

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indigenous Scientific  

/ ĭn-dĭj′ə-nəs /

1. Native to a particular region or environment but occurring naturally in other places as well. The American black bear is indigenous to many different parts of North America.

2. Compare alien endemic

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Other Word Forms

• indigenity
  noun
• indigenousness
  noun
• nonindigenous
  adjective
• unindigenous
  adjective
• indigenously
  adverb
• unindigenously
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of indigenous

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin indigen(a) “native, original inhabitant” ( indi-, by-form of in- in- ² ( cf. indagate) + -gena, derivative from base of gignere “to bring into being”; cf. genital, genitor) + -ous

Explanation

Use indigenous to describe a plant, animal or person that is native or original to an area. Though Switzerland is known for its chocolates, chocolate, which comes from the cocoa plant, is indigenous to South America. Indigenous, aboriginal, and native all mean the same thing. Aboriginal, however, is commonly used in connection with Australia, and native with North America. The most neutral of the three terms, indigenous comes from the Latin word, indigena meaning "a native." An indigenous ceremony or religion is one traditionally used by a certain group of people.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

indigenous

The local Ivatan people speak a similar language to the Tao indigenous community on Orchid Island, an outlying island of Taiwan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Foran said that at the time, the colonies that later became Canada relied on Great Britain and its Royal Navy for its defence, as well as indigenous peoples who served as generals in major battles.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Under Canada’s constitution, the federal government must hold adequate consultations with indigenous people whose territory will be impacted by projects such as pipelines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

A Swedish truth commission on Wednesday urged the state to apologise for injustices committed against its indigenous Sami people, including assimilation programmes, and provide compensation and redress.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

The Noble Savage dates back as far as the first full-blown ethnography of American indigenous peoples, Bartolome de Las Casas’s Apologetica Historia Sumaria, written mainly in the 1530s.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• congenital
• connate
• constitutional
• essential
• fundamental
• inborn
• inherent
• inherited
• innate
• intrinsic
• natural
• unacquired